SBIR-STTR Award

Y.C. Enterprises proposes to develop a new light weight and impact-resistant inorganic-organic transparent composite beamsplitter for helmet-mounted display (HMD) by the sol gel process to optimize human-machine integration, particularly in visual/auditory displays and crew communication. The inorganic-organic hybrid optical components have the advantages of the rigidity of glass substrate and the light weight and impact strength of plastic substrate, while avoiding the shortcomings of each substrate. The main goal of the Phase I effort will be to demonstrate the feasibility of producing large crack-free and transparent monolith hybrid composites by the sol gel process. The process involves the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in water-ethanol mixture in the presence of an acidic or a basic catalyst, condensation, drying and densification. The densified silica is impregnated with a methacrylate monomer, followed by polymerization to obtain the hybrid composite. The information generated in Phase I work will be of critical value for the subsequent phases of the project in the development of a functional inorganic-organic hybrid beamsplitter for HMD.

Keywords:
HELMET-MOUNTED DISPLAY BEAMSPLITTER INORGANIC-ORGANIC HYBRID COMPOSITE OPTICAL COMPONENT

Y.C. Enterprises proposes to develop a new rigid, light weight and impact resistant transparent composite beamsplitter for helmet-mounted display (HMD) by the sol gel process to optimize human-machine integration, particularly in visual/auditory displays and crew communication. In Phase I we have demonstrated the feasibility of preparation of composites which have density compatible to plastics. In Phase II we plan to demonstrate that they also have the rigidity of glass substrate. In addition, we hope that impregnation with polymers having high impact strength will give these composites the desired impact strength. The effect of silane coupling agents on the mechanical performance will be investigated. We also plan to investigate composites made from silane precursors containing polymerizable functional group and determine their optical and mechanical properties. The grinding and polishing techniques, as well as the dielectric coating methods, for these composite materials will be developed to obtain the necessary optical performance for beamsplitter application.